Developed to improve patient safety during labor and delivery, the OB F.A.S.T. (Obstetrical Feasible Approach to Safety Training) simulation program is a proven, award-winning resource is designed for all members of the interdisciplinary obstetrics team to use together. Written by Dr. Giancarlo Mari, who developed the program and currently trains providers around the U.S. and the world, this volume helps teams strengthen their common knowledge of obstetric emergencies. This knowledge is then applied to rehearse emergencies together and prepare team members to provide a safe labor and delivery experience for every mother and child. Features easy-to-follow images and diagrams to reinforce team knowledge of common obstetric emergencies, from cardiac arrest and anesthesia considerations to intrapartum fetal monitoring and amniotic fluid embolism. Offers suggestions for how to run a simulation drill, as well as key points for debriefing and documentation. Includes essential background information to facilitate quick reference and skills checklists to evaluate team performance. Designed for every member of the obstetric team – from those who are new to the field to practitioners with years of experience.

The aim of this Executive Leadership Doctorate in Nursing Practice project was to assess the effectiveness of simulation-based training as a strategy to ensure patient safety and quality care by improving the knowledge and confidence of obstetric nursing staff. Collateral goals included the development of a simulation-based interactive training program to improve staff response to obstetric emergencies and the establishment of an Interprofessional Simulation Training Center. The use of simulation-based training is widely accepted ans used in healthcare education. Several benefits of simulation-based training include a learner-centered approach, safe acquisition of technical skills training and development of effective communication skills. Simulation-based training provides healthcare professionals the opportunity to be involved in simulated patient care scenarios without causing harm to actual patients. The labor and delivery unit is one of the vital areas in the hospital where the management of obstetric emergencies of laboring women, neonates, and postpartum mothers is critical and requires expert skills sets. the increasing number of harm events occurring in obstetrics warranted action. With this need identified, the decision was made to implement a simulation-based training program to improve participants' knowledge and confidence in their ability to intervene and manage obstetric emergencies. Project feedback from all participants i the simulation-based training program revealed a favorable climate for division-wide implementation.

The Pre-hospital Obstetric Emergency Training (POET)programme provides an introduction to the obstetric patient and theanatomical and physiological changes that occur during pregnancy(including interpretation of patient-held records and rapidassessment of the obstetric patient). It includes clear definitionsand describes risk factors, diagnosis and pre-hospital managementof significant problems that occur in both early and late pregnancyand the immediate postnatal period. These are all situations thatthe pre-hospital practitioner may attend. This text and the accompanying integrated on-line and‘hands on’ course will help practitioners identify andmanage a range of time-critical obstetric emergencies specificallyin the pre-hospital setting, and provides a structured examinationand assessment technique as an aid to determining what treatmentshould be provided before transport, as well as when and howurgently transport should be initiated. POET is of relevance to paramedics, ambulance staff, doctors,and nurses working in the emergency pre-hospital setting and tomidwives facilitating home births. It will also be of considerablevalue to medical and nursing practitioners working in EmergencyDepartments and unscheduled care settings where immediate access toskilled obstetric assistance is not available.

Implementing safety practices in healthcare saves lives and improves the quality of care: it is therefore vital to apply good clinical practices, such as the WHO surgical checklist, to adopt the most appropriate measures for the prevention of assistance-related risks, and to identify the potential ones using tools such as reporting & learning systems. The culture of safety in the care environment and of human factors influencing it should be developed from the beginning of medical studies and in the first years of professional practice, in order to have the maximum impact on clinicians' and nurses' behavior. Medical errors tend to vary with the level of proficiency and experience, and this must be taken into account in adverse events prevention. Human factors assume a decisive importance in resilient organizations, and an understanding of risk control and containment is fundamental for all medical and surgical specialties. This open access book offers recommendations and examples of how to improve patient safety by changing practices, introducing organizational and technological innovations, and creating effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable care systems, in order to spread the quality and patient safety culture among the new generation of healthcare professionals, and is intended for residents and young professionals in different clinical specialties.

Obstetrical emergencies occur in less than two percent of all pregnancies in the United States. These emergency situations are unanticipated and occur rapidly. According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the most common obstetric emergencies in the United States are postpartum hemorrhage and shoulder dystocia. When these emergency medical situations occur, the entire medical team should respond immediately with precision and confidence. There is evidence to support planning and collaboration of interdisciplinary teams with ongoing education and training, leading to prompt recognition and response to critical situations, which can ultimately mitigate poor outcomes during obstetric emergencies. This capstone project implemented a standardized training for obstetric emergencies, specifically postpartum hemorrhage and shoulder dystocia, to include didactic education, simulation lab skills check off, initial and ongoing drills, and an annual unit-based skills fair presentation. This project increased knowledge and prepared the labor and delivery team for competency validation, both initially and ongoing, when responding to obstetric postpartum hemorrhage and shoulder dystocia emergencies. The incidence of obstetric emergencies, specifically postpartum hemorrhage and shoulder dystocia, cannot be altered by this project; however, increased staff knowledge and competence should improve patient outcomes.